Opening a Business in Bridgeton
City of Bridgeton
12355 Natural Bridge Road
Bridgeton, MO 63044
(314) 739-7665
www.bridgetonmo.com
WELCOME!
The City of Bridgeton welcomes your new business to the community. This brochure will
answer frequently asked questions about opening a business in the City. For additional
information please visit www.bridgetonmo.com or call (314) 739-7665.
The Bridgeton Advantage
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Located in the heart of the St. Louis metropolitan region.
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Adjacent to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (5-minute drive)
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50,000 people in immediate trade area with more than 1,000,000 in the county
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$60,000 Median Income
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Strong daytime population
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Home to Missouri’s highest volume interstate interchange, I-70 & I-270, with more than
160,000+ vehicle trips daily
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A vibrant retail corridor served at either end by interstate highway interchanges
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Easy access to Interstate 64/40 and Interstate 44
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Within a 15-minute drive to downtown St. Louis, the Clayton CBD and West County
Known for its vibrant retail corridor on St. Charles Rock Road with such businesses as Walmart
Supercenter, Target, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowes, Sports Authority, Schnuck’s, Super K-Mart,
and a number of quick service and casual dining restaurants, the “Rock Road” is a regional shopping
destination.
Bridgeton boasts eight city-owned parks, including the Berry Hill Golf Course, the Bridgeton
Municipal Athletic Complex, and the Bridgeton Crossing Family Aquatic Park among the 256 acres
set aside for picnicking, sports, swimming, trailblazing, and leisure activities.
With an abundance of single-family homes and apartments, well-maintained streets, low taxes, and
the highly-rated Pattonville School District, Bridgeton is considered a premier place to live, shop, and
play.
Bridgeton is also home to the only Level II Trauma Center in North St. Louis County -- SSM DePaul
Health Center. The 476-bed, full-service hospital, with its 2,208 employees, provides care to over
20,000 admitted patients, 110,000 out-patient, and 60,000 emergency room patients per year.
2 New Business Checklist:
Verify Zoning. Before leasing or purchasing a building site, it is recommended you verify that
the proposed use is permitted at that location per the City’s Zoning Ordinance. To determine
if the zoning is appropriate, as well as whether or not the proposed use meets parking
requirements, you may request a zoning verification letter from the Planning & Development
Administrator at (314) 373-3817.
Building Permit. To determine if the proposed work to the space, including signs, requires a
building permit, contact the Building Code Official at (314) 373-3814.
Occupancy Permit. You will need to obtain a Commercial Occupancy Permit in the following
instances:
a) New Business
b) Change of Ownership
c) Occupying a New Location
d) Occupying Additional Space
If you have applied for any building permits or will be making any structural changes to the
interior, please inform the Public Works Department prior to applying for a Business
Occupancy Permit. For more information, contact the Building Code Official at (314) 373-3814.
Business License. Except as exempted by Missouri State Statute, every business operating in
the City of Bridgeton is required to obtain a business license. For more information contact,
the City Clerk at (314) 373-3853.
Home Occupations. Some types of businesses are permitted to operate within a dwelling. To
determine whether your proposed enterprise is permitted, applicants are advised to first
contact their subdivision trustees regarding possible subdivision restrictions. Then applicants
should contact the Planning & Development Administrator at (314) 373-3817 to verify that
their proposed enterprise qualifies as a permitted Home Occupation, for detailed explanation
of the rules and regulations for such uses. A Business License (see above) is required for all
Home Occupations.
Alarm Registration. Business owners are required by ordinance to register their alarm system
and provide updated emergency information. For more information, contact the Police
Department at (314) 739-7557.
Liquor/Vending/Solicitor/Itinerant Merchant License. If applicable, you must apply for the
appropriate license. For more information, contact the City Clerk at (314) 373-3853.
3 Worker’s Compensation Certificate. According to State Statute RSMo 287, construction
companies with one or more employees must submit a copy of their certificate of insurance
for workers’ compensation coverage prior to the issuance of a municipal business license. For
more information contact, the City Clerk at (314) 373-3853.
MO Business Registration. Most companies operating in Missouri must register with the
state. Unincorporated businesses must also file if they do business under any title other than
the actual name of the owner. For more information, contact:
Corporations Division
Office of the Secretary of State
PO Box 778
Jefferson City, MO 65102
(866) 223-6535
www.sos.mo.gov
MO Sales Tax License. A business license is issued only after a State Sales Tax License
(applicable for Retail sales) is obtained and cleared. To apply, contact the Missouri
Department of Revenue at (314) 877-0177 or visit www.dor.mo.gov/tax/forms. Be advised that
Business Licenses can be revoked for delinquent sales tax collection.
TIF/TDD/CID Special Tax Districts. All businesses that collect sales tax and are located in the
Hilltop Plaza or St. Charles Rock Road redevelopment areas will be financing infrastructure
improvements to the redevelopment areas, via a one (1) cent sales tax. To verify that you are
located within one of these taxing districts, and are responsible for collecting this additional
sales tax, please contact the Finance Officer at (314) 373-3856.
Health Permit. All restaurants and food service establishments must have appropriate permits
from St. Louis County. For more information, contact the Department of Health at (314) 6150600.
NOTE: This list is not exhaustive. In some situations (e.g. when your business
handles hazardous materials, when operating in a flood plain, when food is being
prepared, etc.) there may be special permitting required from other local, County,
State, or Federal agencies or Departments.
4 New Business Resources:
Small Business Development Center - St. Louis County Extension
10650 Gateway Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63132
(314) 400-2115
The Small Business Development Center, a service of the University of Missouri Extension, offers
individual counseling, training programs and technical assistance. To home-based and small
businesses, it provides educational programs, information and assistance on business topics.
US Small Business Administration
200 N Broadway, Ste. 1500
St. Louis, MO 63102
(314) 539-6600
www.sba.gov/mo/stlouis
SBA provides financial, managerial and technical assistance.
SCORE
1222 Spruce Street, Ste. 10.103
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 539-6600
www.stlscore.org
SCORE provides no-cost, confidential business counseling tailored to meet the needs of each
business. It also offers workshops and seminars, for a modest fee, to both start-up entrepreneurs and
existing businesses.
Maryland Heights Chamber of Commerce
547 Westport Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63146
(314) 576-6603
www.mhcc.com
The Maryland Heights Chamber of Commerce strives to enhance the general welfare and prosperity
of businesses and citizens of the Maryland Heights/Bridgeton area, as well as provide opportunities
for its members to address economic, commercial, governmental and educational issues.
Northwest Chamber of Commerce
8944 St. Charles Rock Road
Third Floor, Municipal Building
St. Louis, MO 63114
(314) 291-2131
www.northwestchamber.com
The mission of the Northwest Chamber of Commerce is to provide leadership and foster unity in the
overall community through the implementation of programs and services which stimulates economic
growth and enhances the quality of life.
5 FINANCING & INCENTIVES:
Missouri Department of Economic Development
301 W. High Street
P.O. Box 1157
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
(573) 751-4962
www.ded.mo.gov
The Missouri Department of Economic Development offers a number of incentive programs to assist
businesses. The Business Development team is ready to assist your existing Missouri business with its
expansion. The Missouri Partnership, a public/private non-profit organization, can assist you with
your business re-location needs. The Missouri Business Portal offers a variety of resources aimed at
helping you start a business. Missouri SourceLink can provide personalized business assistance. In
addition, there are a number of tools available for businesses—provided free of charge by the
Missouri Department of Economic Development.
St. Louis Economic Development Partnership
7733 Forsyth Boulevard, Ste. 2200 & 2300
St. Louis, MO 63105
(314) 615-7663
www.slcec.com
The Partnership’s mission is to lead in the development and growth of long-term diversified business
and employment opportunities by creating innovative solutions that generate increased wealth and
enhanced quality of life for the citizens, businesses and institutions of the St. Louis region.
6 St. Louis County Contacts
Business Assistance Center
314) 615-5222
Health Department
(314) 615-0600
Permit Application Center
314) 615-4269
St. Louis County (Main)
(314) 615-5000
Utility Contacts
Ameren Missouri
(314) 342-1111
AT&T
(800) 288-2747
Charter Communications
(888) 692-8635
Laclede Gas
(314) 621-6960
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) (314) 768-6260
Missouri-American Water
(866) 430-0820
Fire District Contacts
Maryland Heights Fire District
(314) 298-4400
Pattonville Fire District
(314) 739-3118
Robertson Fire Protection District
(314) 291-6671
West Overland Fire Protection District
(314) 428-6069
Other Government Contacts
Earth City Levee District
(636) 300-4448
Federal ID Number Information
(800) 829-4933
Missouri Bottoms Levee District
(314) 480-1500 (c/o Husch Blackwell - Attn. David Human)
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